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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · stand · staff · suit · last · vault · deal · land

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. land — to come down
  3. staff — employees
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. deal — to handle
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. land — ground
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. suit — in cards
  12. land — a country
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stand — to bear
  15. staff — employees
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — to fit
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. vault — a safe

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com